Method of making four-legged inflatable animal toys



July 27, 1954 5 HARRISON 2,684,923

METHOD OF MAKING FOUR-LEGGED INFLATABLE ANIMAL TOYS Filed Dec. 1, 1950 1N VEN TOR. SEYMOUR HA RR/SO/V ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE METHOD OF MAKING FOUR-LEGGED INFLATABLE ANIMAL TOYS Seymour Harrison, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Plastic Innovations, Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York 10 Claims.

This invention relates to an animal figure toy or the like, and to a method of making same.

One object of this invention is the provision of a method of making an inflatable toy having leg portions from two flat sheets of flexible material.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an inflatable animal toy with distinct leg portions with the toy being formed from two flat sheets of flexible material.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a method of making inflatable toys from two flat sheets of flexible material that is extremely simple and economical, and in which the leg portions occupy their normal and natural position.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel method of making a four-legged inflatable animal and the like from two flat sheets of flexible material having two leg portions, each leg portion forming two legs by means of a single die.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a novel method of making an inflatable toy from two flat sheets of flexible material having leg portions, each leg portion forming two distinct legs by a continuous seam sealing arrangement.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the superimposed flat sheets of flexible material of the selected animal outline;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the leg portions folded along a generally longitudinal axis;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 before the second sealing operation;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the completed animal toy formed according to the method of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmented end view of the completed animal toy formed according to the methodof this invention.

Two flat sheets of plastic or other suitable flexible material of the general animal outline as shown in Fig. 1 are superimposed on each other and sealed at the marginal edges as shown at l8, except at the base or" the leg portions [2 as indicated at i t. Each flat sheet leg portion 12 is then folded over along the generally longitudinal axis it so that the marginal edges is of the leg portions substantially overlie each other as shown in Fig. 3. The sheets of flexible material are then rescaled along the general outline 22 as shown in Fig. 4 by the use of a single special die. Thus each of said leg portions i2 is rescaled by a single continuous seam 22, which seam comprises spaced longitudinal seam portions 23 connected at their i. upper ends as shown at 25, the lower portions 21 of said longitudinal seam portions 23 extending transversely to the outer edges or" said leg portions i2. This results in sealing of the leg portions by a continuous seam 22 along a generally inverted T-shaped outline (viewing Fig. 4). The T-portion 22, represented by the shaded area in Figs. 1 and 4, of the portion lying within said seam 22 is cut away, leaving two distinct legs 2 formed from each leg portion 52. It will be noted that when the T portion 25 is cut away the legs of the animal toy formed by this method will occupy their normal and natural position. The above operation is performed for each flat sheet leg portion l2 resulting in a four-legged inflatable animal as shown in Fig. 5. It is to be understood that the term inflatable toy as used herein includes toys inflated with gas as well as toys stuffed with solid matter or filled with liquid. It is to be observed that said continuous seam 22 comprises a plurality of scam portions which are laterally and symmetrically spaced from the longitudinal axis or marginal edge [8, the exact outline of said seam 22 being determined by the desired contour and spacing of legs 2%.

The resulting inflatable animal toy comprises a body portion [5, formed of two layers of ioldable material disposed in superposed confronting relation, and front and rear legs with the legs being each integral with one of the layers of the foldable material and each pair of legs being disposed in laterally spaced relation at the same end of the figure toy, with each of the legs having a peripherally extending portion formed of parts integral with one of the two layers of ioldable material. Thus this invention provides for an extremely simple and economical inflatable animal toy and method of making inflatable toys having leg portions from two flat sheets of flexiole material without the use of insert layers or additional superimposed layers.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific steps for carrying out the inventive concept of this method it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and embodiments of this inventive concept may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and the same is not limited to the specific method and article herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy comprising the steps of superimposing on each other two flat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions, sealing said sheets at the edges thereof, folding said leg portions along a generally longitudinal axis, sealing said leg portions along a generally inverted T-shaped outline, and cutting away the inverted T-portion leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

2. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy comprising the steps of superimposing on each other two fiat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions, sealing said sheets at the edges thereof except at the base of the leg portions, folding said leg portions over along a generally longitudinal axis, sealing said leg portions along a generally inverted T-shaped outline, and cutting away the inverted T-portion leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

3. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy comprising the steps of super-- imposing on each other two flat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions, sealing said sheets at the edges thereof, folding said leg portions over along a generally longitudinal axis, sealing said leg portions by a plurality of seam portions along a generally longitudinal axis with an additional seam portion connecting said plurality of scam portions, and cutting away the portion lying within said seam portions leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

4. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy comprising the steps of superimposing on each other two fiat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions, sealing said sheets at the edges thereof, folding said leg portions over along a generally longitudinal axis, sealing said leg portions by a plurality of scam portions laterally and symmetrically spaced from the longitudinal axis of said leg portions with an additional seam portion connecting said plurality of seam portions, and cutting away the portion lying within said seam portions leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

5. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy comprising the steps of superimposing on each other two fiat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions, sealing said sheets at the edges thereof, folding said leg portions over along a generally longitudinal axis, sealing said leg portions by a plurality of spaced longitudinal seam portions connected at their upper ends, the lower portion of 4 said longitudinal seam portions extending transversely to the outer edges of said leg portion, and cutting away the portion lying within said seam portions leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

6. A method of making an inflatable toy having a pair of legs from two flat sheets of flexible material having a leg portion comprising the steps of superimposing said sheets on each other, sealing said sheets at marginal edges thereof, folding said leg portion over along a generally longitudinal axis, sealing said leg portion by a continuous seam, said seam comprising spaced longitudinal seam portions connected at their upper ends, and cutting away the portion lying within said seam leaving two legs formed from said leg portion.

7. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy from two flat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions comprising the steps of superimposing on each other the two flat sheets of flexible material, sealing said sheets at marginal edges thereof except at the base of the leg portions, folding said leg portions over along a generally longitudinal axis so that the edges of the leg portions substantially overlie each other, sealing each of said leg portions by a continuous seam, said seam comprising spaced longitudinal seam portions connected at their upper ends, the lower portion of said longitudinal seam portions extending transversely to the outer edges or" said leg portions, and cutting away the portion lying within said seam leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

8. A method of making a four-legged inflatable animal toy from two flat sheets of flexible material of selected outline having leg portions comprising the steps of superimposing on each other the two flat sheets of flexible material, sealing said sheets at the edges thereof leaving the base of the leg portions unsealed, folding said leg portions over along a generally longitudinal axis,

sealing each of said leg portions by a continuous 2 seam, said seam comprising spaced longitudinal seam portions connected at their upper ends, the lower portion of said longitudinal seam portions extending transversely to the outer edges of said leg portions whereby said continuous seam may be formed by a single die, and cutting away the portion lying within said seam leaving two legs formed from each leg portion.

9. A method of making an animal toy having a plurality of spaced legs, comprising the steps of superposing on each other two flat sheets of flexible material of preselected outline, said sheets having a depending portion adapted to be formed into said spaced legs, sealing said sheets along marginal edge portions thereof, folding said depending portion along a longitudinal fold line, sealing said depending portion along longitudinal lines spaced inwardly from the side edges of said portion and extending for a predetermined distance along the length of said portion, and removing sheet portions lying within said longitudinal lines leaving a pair of laterally spaced legs formed from said depending portion.

10. A method of making an inflatable toy hav- I ing a plurality of spaced appendages, comprising the steps of superposing on each other two flat sheets of flexible material of preselected outline, said sheets having a portion adapted to be formed into said appendages, sealing said sheets along marginal edge portions thereof, folding said portion along a longitudinal fold line, sealing said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 349,315 Nye Sept. 21, 1886 1,354,331 Nelke Sept. 28, 1920 1,504,079

Roberts Aug. 5, 1924 Number Number 10 276,944 27,966

Name Date Riley et a1. Dec. 7, 1926 Roberts Apr. 19, 1927 Dorogi et a1 Mar. 14, 1933 Miller Jan. 28, 1936 Chu Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 5, 1926 Netherlands Sept. 15, 1932 

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A FOUR-LEGGED INFLATABLE ANIMAL TOY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF SUPERIMPOSING ON EACH OTHER TWO FLAT SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL OF SELECTED OUTLINE HAVING LEG PORTIONS, SEALING SAID SHEETS AT THE EDGES THEREOF, FOLDING SAID LEG PORTIONS ALONG A GENERALLY LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SEALING SAID LEG PORTIONS ALONG A GENERALLY INVERTED T-SHAPED OUTLINE, AND CUTTING AWAY THE INVERTED T-SHAPED LEAVING TWO LEGS FORMED FROM EACH LEG PORTION. 